What is the thin outer layer of the earth called?
The Crust
What is the movement of sediment from one place to another called?
Erosion.
What is a mineral?
An inorganic substance found naturally in the earth.
What is a gemstone?
A mineral that can be cut and polished for use.
What kind of rocks are formed from magma or volcanic lava?
Igneous rocks.
What is the center of the earth called?
The core.
What is the definition of soil?
Loose material on the surface of the earth where plants can grow.
What is the difference between organic and inorganic
ORGANIC: A substance that was once part of a living thing.
INORGANIC: A substance made of things that were never alive.
What makes a gemstone precious?
When it's beautiful and rare.
What kind of rocks are formed when layers of sediment and organic material hardens?
Sedimentary rocks.
In what layer is most of the earth's mass found?
The mantle.
What does weathering produce?
Small bits of weathered rock called sediment.
Where are minerals usually found?
Either on the surface of the earth or buried in its crust in rocks or veins.
What is coal?
A rock-like substance that forms from decayed plant matter.
What kind of rocks are formed by heat and pressure deep below the earth's crust?
Metamorphic rocks.
What is magma?
The hot melted rock that makes up the mantle of the earth.
Define "rock"
A hard, natural substance made of one or more minerals that contain organic materials.
True/False: If a substance is a mineral, it CAN be a metal.
True! Some minerals are also metals.
What is the difference between cleavage and streak?
CLEAVAGE: The characteristic of a mineral to break along smooth, straight lines.
STREAK: The color of a mark made when a mineral is rubbed on a harder surface.
Igneous: Obsidian, granite
Sedimentary: Limestone, sandstone
Metamorphic: Slate, marble
What are geologists?
Scientists who study the structure, rocks, and minerals of the earth.
How could weathering and erosion help people find minerals?
Could remove some surface material and expose lower levels where you could find minerals.
Tell me about Luster & Hardness.
Luster: The way a mineral reflects light.
Hardness: The ability of a mineral to resist scratching. Determined by the Mohs Scale of Hardness.
Give me at least 3 uses of minerals.
Pottery, electronics, glass, drinks, medicine, paint, fertilizer, in toothpaste, drywall.
How could the flood have contributed to the formation of sedimentary rock?
Great amounts of dirt could have been stirred up by the water that would settle into layers as the waters settled.